diff --git a/doc/lua_api.txt b/doc/lua_api.txt
index b809e18c3..5a991c278 100644
--- a/doc/lua_api.txt
+++ b/doc/lua_api.txt
@@ -2092,11 +2092,15 @@ Elements
 
 * Show an inventory image of registered item/node
 
-### `bgcolor[<color>;<fullscreen>]`
+### `bgcolor[<color>]`
 
 * Sets background color of formspec as `ColorString`
-* If `true`, the background color is drawn fullscreen (does not affect the size
-  of the formspec).
+
+### `bgcolor[<color>;<fullscreen>]`
+
+* If `color` is a valid `ColorString`, the fullscreen background color
+  is set to `color`.
+* If `fullscreen` is a true value, the fullscreen background color is drawn.
 
 ### `background[<X>,<Y>;<W>,<H>;<texture name>]`
 
diff --git a/src/gui/guiFormSpecMenu.cpp b/src/gui/guiFormSpecMenu.cpp
index 53b8ae848..e8a7f546e 100644
--- a/src/gui/guiFormSpecMenu.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/guiFormSpecMenu.cpp
@@ -1881,17 +1881,17 @@ void GUIFormSpecMenu::parseBox(parserData* data, const std::string &element)
 	errorstream<< "Invalid Box element(" << parts.size() << "): '" << element << "'"  << std::endl;
 }
 
-void GUIFormSpecMenu::parseBackgroundColor(parserData* data, const std::string &element)
+void GUIFormSpecMenu::parseBackgroundColor(parserData *data, const std::string &element)
 {
 	std::vector<std::string> parts = split(element,';');
 
 	if (((parts.size() == 1) || (parts.size() == 2)) ||
 			((parts.size() > 2) && (m_formspec_version > FORMSPEC_API_VERSION))) {
-		parseColorString(parts[0], m_bgcolor, false);
-
-		if (parts.size() == 2) {
-			std::string fullscreen = parts[1];
-			m_bgfullscreen = is_yes(fullscreen);
+		if (parts.size() == 1) {
+			parseColorString(parts[0], m_bgcolor, false);
+		} else if (parts.size() == 2) {
+			parseColorString(parts[0], m_fullscreen_bgcolor, false);
+			m_bgfullscreen = is_yes(parts[1]);
 		}
 
 		return;
@@ -2921,8 +2921,7 @@ void GUIFormSpecMenu::drawMenu()
 
 	if (m_bgfullscreen)
 		driver->draw2DRectangle(m_fullscreen_bgcolor, allbg, &allbg);
-	else
-		driver->draw2DRectangle(m_bgcolor, AbsoluteRect, &AbsoluteClippingRect);
+	driver->draw2DRectangle(m_bgcolor, AbsoluteRect, &AbsoluteClippingRect);
 
 	m_tooltip_element->setVisible(false);